The Power of Christian Relationships and the Rev. Author Stanton

Very few people will have heard of the Rev. Author Stanton, who lived from 1839 to 1913 and served as curate for St. Albin’s Parish in Holborn, England for fifty years. Such long-term cures are very rare today. However, where they are found, they are almost always an indication of real spiritual health in the life of a church. From all indications, this was just as true in Fr. Stanton’s day as it is in our own.

During his service, Fr. Stanton became a much-loved figure because of his dedication to the people of his parish. Because St. Albin’s was in a very economically challenged area, Fr. Stanton became a champion of the poor.   Among other things this priest founded organizations and clubs dedicated to the working class.

Now while those may not seem like great accomplishments, the relationships this man built over his fifty years of service, awarded him a funeral procession larger than that of Queen Victoria! A funeral procession, not to the cathedral of St. Paul’s who offered him a niche, but to the humble working man’s graveyard where he is buried today.

As I reflect on his life, I am reminded of the power of human relationships and the godly necessity of loving and caring for the people in our lives. I am also reminded of how poorly we measure success in our culture. By all accounts, this man should have been promoted and moved up in the church hierarchy more than once. But success in the eyes of God looks very different. Perhaps at the end of his life God looked back and counted how many souls this man nurtured, how many mouths he fed, how many people he prayed with in grief and in joy. No doubt he heard those long sought after words from Jesus, “Well done, my good and faithful servant.…Enter into the joy of your master.” (Matt. 25:21) May all our lives reflect such grace!

Reborn by Water and the Spirit

Many of us may be familiar with the story of Nicodemus. (John 3:1-17) The prominent Jewish leader who comes to Jesus at night. Nicodemus, like many religious people of his day, is all in his own head. He likely has the Jewish law practically memorized, goes to temple every chance he gets, and knows all the small nuances to what it means to be a follower of God. And then he hears about Jesus. A man he knows is from God because he cannot deny the miracles he is doing. But when he finally meets Jesus, Jesus doesn’t say what Nicodemus expects. Instead Jesus seems to be speaking in riddles about water and being born again. What Jesus is saying doesn’t seem helpful to Nicodemus. But there is no denying Jesus is from God. So, Nicodemus walks away with lots to think about.

So, what was Jesus trying to tell Nicodemus that was so important? Well he seems to be saying that being with God is not about following a set of strict rules, but rather about changing our understanding of the nature of our existence in this world. He is saying that we need to see the world differently. We need to change our prospective of our reality. We need to change the narrative we have been telling ourselves. And when we make that shift in our thinking we enter a whole new world with a whole new outlook on life. We suddenly find ourselves with a new set of values, a new prospective, new goals, and new measures of success. It is as if we are born into some new type of existence.

In this new way of existing we no longer live for selfish desires like, fame or our riches. Instead we begin living our lives with the sole purpose of living out God’s will, no matter what the call. And in that change we find the greatest freedom we could ever imagine.

One saint who exemplifies this type of vision for the world is St. Patrick. The son of well to do Roman citizens living in England who was kidnapped as a child and forced to live in slavery in Ireland. After Patrick escapes he could easily have returned home, enjoyed the wealth of his family, plotted his revenge, and enacted it by dealing a lethal strike on his captors. But instead Patrick chose to follow the way of Christ. He chose to embrace a faith that had sustained him during the suffering of his captivity.

One can holy guess how he survived; how he remained resilient during this time. Perhaps he was able to recall such stories from scripture where people had survived this type of pain. Stories like Joseph who was betrayed and sold into slavery by his own brothers. Or Daniel who was tossed into the lion’s den by his slave holders.

However he did it, it is obvious that Patrick saw the world differently that most would. Patrick saw his captors not as an evil that needed to be purged, but rather Patrick, being reborn by water and the Spirit sees them with love, pity, and with a longing to see the image of God in them restored to that it was created to be. He sees them not as the object of his hatred, but as children of God.

My friends, that is how we should also see the world. When difficulties enter our live we need to cling to the promise of God by faith. We need to embrace living in this new reality where humiliation just increases our humility. Where suffering brings us closer to the sufferings of Jesus. Where we cannot be threatened because death itself has no power in our lives. Where money and fame and popularity are no longer our selfish ambitions and therefore have no control over us. Rather our "light yoke" is one of generosity and compassion and self-abasement.

My friends, we have been born by water and the spirt in our baptism, perhaps then we ought to think about what that really means, and embrace a reality that is our inheritance as a member of God's family. We need to embrace a spiritual and godly reality in this life that is nurturing to our soul. We need to embrace a way that brings peace and joy and love to us and to all those who enter our life. As we embrace this new life giving reality, we also ought to tell other people about this new way of living. Tell them what it is to be reborn be water and the spirit, so that all of God’s children can enjoy the peace of living in His kingdom.

The Decalogue

      Lent is a appropriate time of year for us to pause and examine our lives with the intent of finding ways we can lessen the barrier between ourselves and God. One of the most common ways this is done is by engaging in the spiritual practice of conducting a self examination of conscience. While there are many ways of doing this, as Episcopalians, many of us will find ourselves reciting the Decalogue in our worship. (BCP p.350  or p.317). Using these commandments as a guide, and expanding upon them, is an excellent way of doing the real spiritual work of  preparing ourselves for the gift of God's love and grace in our Easter celebrations. Below is a guile for this from an unknown source. May it bring you freedom sins known and unknown and a deeper and richer understanding of the depth of God's mercy.

The First Commandment: I am the Lord your God; you shall not have strange gods before me.

Do we truly love God above all, or do we sometimes give greater importance to things of this world: money, image, looks, clothes, popularity or selfish desires?

Do we claim to have good values, but often bend or abandon them in order to fit in and be "part of the group?"

Do we turn to God in thankful prayer, or do we pray mostly when we want something?

Do we really want to be transformed by the will of God, or do we just use our religion in order to "look" like good Christian people?

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The Second Commandment: You shall not take the name of the Lord in vain.

Do we show disrespect for God's name by misusing it out of frustration or anger or to look "tough" to others?

Do we hesitate to mention God's name in appropriate situations, in conversations with friends and family members?

Do we continue to learn about God by paying attention in Church, Christian Education and through reading the Holy Scriptures?

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The Third Commandment: Remember to keep holy the Lord's day.

Do we come to Church to celebrate the Eucharist on Sundays and Holy Days? Do we attend Church only when it is convenient or when it will make us "feel good?"

Do we participate in the Eucharist by praying and singing, or do we simply sit as spectators and wait to be entertained?

Do we pay close attention to the Word of God and open ourselves to God's call to allow His word to take effect in our lives?

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The Fourth Commandment: Honor your father and your mother.

Do we help bring peace and happiness to our families, or are we disrespectful of others and a source of hurt and division for those who are closest to us?

As parents, are we generous and patient with our children? Do we spend time with them and give them the attention they need? Do we set responsible limits for them and make sure they follow rules that will help them grow into responsible adults?

Are we willing to say "no" to our children, or are we more likely to ignore problem behavior and hope it will "go away?"

Do we listen to our children carefully and treat them with respect?

As children, are we loving, respectful and obedient to our parents? Do we appreciate the many sacrifices they make for us? Do we say "Thank you" and "I love you" often enough?

Do we do our chores without being asked, or do we wait for our parents to become upset before we move away from what we are doing?

Do we listen to our parents' reasoning when they say "no" to us?

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The Fifth Commandment: You shall not kill.

Have we injured another person through carelessness or fighting?

Have we placed ourselves or others in danger because of reckless use of alcohol or other drugs? Have we caused difficulties for ourselves or others because of their use?

Have we risked our lives by driving or riding with someone under the influence alcohol or other drugs?

Do we strive to forgive those who have hurt us, or do we hold on to resentment and desire for revenge?

Do we use our powers of influence well, especially our voting rights, in order to fight war, oppression, abortion and injustice, or do we allow those evils to continue by our apathy and our silence?

Have we been violent or abusive either in action or in speech? Have we been verbally abusive to our children or other family members?

Do we share what we have with those in need? Do we support the life and mission of the Church by responsible stewardship - sharing our time, talent and treasure?

Do we bring our Christianity to every day situations, or do we stand on the sidelines and complain about every flaw we can detect in others?

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The Sixth Commandment: You shall not commit adultery.

Do we respect the dignity of the human body and the holiness of Christian marriage? Do we show that respect in our speech, or are crude language and jokes often part of our conversations?

Do we understand and appreciate the gift of our sexuality as a means of expressing our love [and God's love] in the Sacrament of Marriage?

Have we been faithful to our marriage, priestly or religious vows? Do we keep our commitments simply because we said we would, or do we seek to nourish ourselves and others through our lifetime commitments?

Have we encouraged others to sin by our failure to maintain good moral standards?

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The Seventh Commandment: You shall not steal.

Do we respect the property of other people? Have we stolen, damaged or vandalized the property of others?

Have we cheated at work or in school? Have we encouraged others to sin by pressuring them into helping us cheat?

Are we honest and hardworking in school and at work?

Are we faithful to our promises? Can we be trusted?

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The Eighth Commandment: You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor.

Have we lied to stay out of trouble or to avoid a difficult situation?

Do we gossip about others? Have we damaged the reputation of another person by exaggeration or making up stories about them?

Can we be trusted with a secret?

Do we stand up for those unjustly accused, or are we merely a channel through which rumors pass, whether or not they are true?

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The Ninth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's wife.

Have we weakened or damaged our marriage commitment through our obsession with another person?

Do we respect the commitments of others and help them remain faithful to their promises?

Do we treat our marriages casually in our conversations and attitudes? Have we said or done anything which made a mockery of our sacred promises?

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The Tenth Commandment: You shall not covet your neighbor's goods.

Are we satisfied with what God has given us, or are we jealous of those who seem to have more?

Do we try to prove we are better than others by bragging or buying more things?

Do we appreciate our own good qualities, or do we constantly compare ourselves with others and become resentful or bitter?

Do we cope well with the problems that confront us and maintain our Christian hope in spite of hard times and difficulties?

Do we truly "seek first the Kingdom of God" in our lives and place our trust in Him?

Do we reflect the peace, hope and joy of a people redeemed and made holy by the Blood of Christ?

Millennials, the Church, and Technology

If you take the time to watch the video above you will realize that Simon Sinek knows his stuff. Maybe you have seen him before in THIS VIDEO where he manages to precisely define a successful DNA structure of any company.  Once again Simon hits the nail on the head of a major issue companies are dealing with in our society.

However, if we take the time to look beyond the corporate theme in the video we can see a number of implications and opportunities for the church. Simon is saying that millennials, and indeed many of us, need to figure out how to put down our cell phones and technology and learn (or re-learn) how to connect to one another in face to face conversation. In fact, he goes beyond suggesting the real benefits of human interaction to say that failing to regulate our social connections through technology can be dangerous.

As a priest I have not only experienced this damaging artificial social life in dealing with millennials but with many people who enter our community. The reason for this is that Colorado Springs, as anyone who lives here can tell you, has a high turn over rate with our population. People are constantly moving in and out of our community. That is, by itself, a significant factor for a lack of personal social connection, but it is further compounded in northern Colorado Springs, where St. Michael's is located. Things are worse in this end of town because, like many places, there is no community center. Northern Colorado Springs, is simply a town of very nice strip malls and grocery stores. What this means is, that once you move into this area, its difficult to get to know anyone without making a real effort.

It is in this culture that the church has an opportunity to help people manage this real social disconnect.  The reason the church can help is because, more than any other origination, the church can help people enter into deep, meaningful relationships with other people. This is done, of course, through small group ministry and the many social gatherings churches offer. In addition, the church also has the antidote to this disease, by way of its connection to the divine. After all, what could more opposite of the dopamine producing high of a Facebook "like" than the deep abiding connection to God we get through contemplative prayer or corporate worship.

I say all of this to both inform and inspire my fellow church going Christians to seek out people in our community who in need of what we take for granted. We need to help people understand the deeply valuable and healthy spiritual connections we have with our brothers and sisters in Christ in our churches. Finally, and perhaps more importantly, we need to help people who are suffering this loneliness, find the fullness of their humanity in the source of divine love with God.

A Shoot from the Stump

From 605 B.C. to 586 B.C. a period of 19-20 years, were some of the most horrific in the history of the Jewish people. Before this time, the Jewish people were prosperous. In recent memory was the time of King Solomon and all his riches. Crops were fertile, people’s bellies were filled, and families prospered. It was in this time that the Babylonians struck Judea. In three waves over two decades they descended with their superior armies and ravaged the land, destroyed Jerusalem, burned Solomon’s temple, killed thousands upon thousands, and those they didn’t kill they hauled off into slavery. When they were finished, the holy land was left a void, barren, wasteland of death. To make matters worse, the linage of King David, to whom God had covenanted that his line would rule over Judea forever, had been ended by this murderous foe.

It is into this scene of despair and horror that the prophet Isaiah writes his visions. A shoot shall spring forth from the stump of Jesse. Jesse, was of course the father of King David. Isaiah now prophesies that a shoot shall come forth like a flower springing up from the ground scorched after a fire. A shoot of hope. Light in the darkness. Isaiah doesn’t know how this will happen but he knows it will happen. And he knows this person on who all their hope will be laid will be different. This person will not judge by what he sees or hears. This person will not be like other people, he will have a wisdom and a connection to God that we can’t understand. This person will not just restore Israel, he will user in an era of profound peace. This new era will not just bring about an end to war but an end to the brokenness of our world. An end to violence, disease and death. The lion and the lamb will lay down together. This person will not only bring hope but he will bring about eternal restoration, eternal love, and peace.

Of course, we know that the person Isaiah is speaking about is none other than Jesus of Nazareth. As followers of Jesus then we ought to ask ourselves how we can be like the vision Isaiah. How can we be the shoot that comes forth from the stump? How can we see without our eyes and hear without our ears?

One way of doing this is to live into our calling to be in a constant state of awareness that the world is not what it seems. Christians are called to see beyond matter and physics to the realm of the spiritual. The realm of God where love and grace and holiness abide and emanate into our world. And when we are able to experience that reality, we cease to be small helpless creatures, insignificant in the grandness of the cosmos and in the deepness of time. Instead we become part of something much greater. We become part of the fullness of God. We become part of God’s reality, God’s kingdom, God’s infinite love. And when we show that love to the world we really can be that shoot from the stump, we really can be one who sees and hears differently from those around us. One full of wisdom and grace.

Advent

As we near the end of the month of November our attention turns to the holiday season. Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the New Year will soon be upon us. Planning for festivities to come is not only a cultural necessity but can have a spiritual benefit for us as well. The spiritual side of our holiday preparation can be found in the concepts of hope and expectation. As Christians, we are a people of hope and longing. We hope that the peace of Christ will one day reign on earth as it does in heaven. We long for the day that Christ will return and restore our reality to the blessed peace it once was at creation.

There are many traditions in this season of longing and waiting. In times past Advent was a more penitential season where, like lent, people waited in fasting and self-denial. In stark contrast, today we have the Advent calendar, where we comfort ourselves in the waiting with rationed portions of daily chocolate. Still other traditions people observe are to pour themselves into all those holiday plans. People send cards, have holiday parties, travel to see family, purchase gifts, and so much more.

This year as you go about with all the activity of the holidays, think about what you are really preparing for in the arrival of Christ. In all your holiday plans, have you included any spiritual preparation? This year why not take some time to think and pray about what we ought to be doing if we really knew Christ’s return was imminent. How might that change our lives and how can we use that thinking to draw us closer to Him who we will one day see again.

May God be with you in this season of waiting and expectation. 

St. Michael's New Gospel Book

Several months ago, on the advice of my spiritual director, I set out to do something creative. After speaking with one of the artists in our congregation, we came up with the idea of a gospel book for the church. Since St. Michael’s style is more wood than metal, we thought working in that medium would be best. The pictures you see in this article of the finished product. I thought it might be fun to share them with people here.

Description:  Gospel books are part of the ancient traditions of the Christian Church. In the past, as well as today, they are often made from a number of materials and are ornate, expressing a number of different aspects of the faith. The gospel book below contains a mold of a carved icon of the Christ Pantocrator, or Almighty. This is one of the oldest icons of the church and depicts Christ holding his gospel. The image reminds us of our patristic past and seems fitting for a gospel book. On the reverse side of the book we find the image of the Celtic cross. Crosses are common on gospel books and this one serves to remind us of the Celtic influence on our tradition. The other inlays are comprised of various woods and are covered in resin. These designs are merely ornamental in nature and connect the book to the architecture in the building for which it was designed.